Port of Tacoma to Build New Terminal

Friday, January 10, 2003

Evergreen Marine Corporation (Taiwan) and the Port of Tacoma announced an agreement to relocate operations from Terminal 4 to Pierce County Terminal.
Scheduled for completion in late 2004, the new terminal will be the
largest
single container terminal north of Los Angeles and the largest
construction
project in the Port's 85-year history. "Clearly, the future of the
Port of
Tacoma is on the Blair Waterway," said Dick Marzano, Port of Tacoma
Commission President. "With this agreement, Evergreen has made it
clear
that they will be a major part of that future. This is an agreement
that
will bring significant economic development and much-needed jobs to
South
Puget Sound."
"We anticipated our need for future growth," said Thomas Chen,
President of
Evergreen America Corp., agents for EMC. "We are pleased that the
Port has
heard us, and we can continue serving our customers through the
geographic
location of Tacoma in moving cargo quickly and efficiently throughout
North
America. Evergreen is 'ever growing.' We have and will continue to
expand
our ocean and intermodal services according to customer demand. This
benefits all of us involved in international trade. Happily, it also
brings
jobs and business to this region."
According to Brendan Dugan, the Port's Senior Director of Marketing and
Trade, the 171-acre Phase 1 terminal will have an annual capacity of
more
than 480,000 container lifts -- or approximately 840,000 TEUs
(twenty-foot
equivalent units). When Phase 2 is complete, the facility will be 237
acres
total with an annual capacity of approximately 1.2 million TEUs. The
Port
of Tacoma finished 2002 with a record volume of 1.44 million TEUs.
Located at the terminus of the 2.65-mile-long Blair Waterway, the
planned
six-crane, facility will feature two linear berths (approximately
2,260
feet long), a container yard, a dedicated intermodal yard and
associated
infrastructure. If required, there is flexibility for a third berth
at a
later date. "Given the terminal layout, location and intermodal yard
design, we believe this terminal will be the best on the West Coast,"
said
Dugan. "It will allow Evergreen to take greater advantage of Tacoma's
inherent intermodal rail strengths."
Evergreen currently occupies a 75-acre facility at Terminal 4, also on
the
Blair. Pierce County Terminal is presently used for breakbulk, auto,
heavy
lift and other specialty cargoes. Much of the Pierce County Terminal
acreage is now used for auto storage. This activity will be relocated
to a
new dedicated auto facility, now under construction near Pierce County
Terminal.
Evergreen began to explore additional expansion opportunities with the
Port
of Tacoma in 2001, including a review of various terminal
configurations at
several potential Port of Tacoma locations. "It was eventually agreed
by
both parties that the most suitable way to accommodate Evergreen's
expected
long-term growth was relocating them to Pierce County Terminal," said
Dugan, adding, "This is an example of how our Port works to meet the
needs
of our customers."
Andrea Riniker, the Port's Executive Director added: "Evergreen's
decision
to grow in Tacoma is a tribute to Evergreen, the Port of Tacoma, our
rail
partners and the productive labor here in Tacoma that has served
Evergreen
so well since they first moved here in 1991."
In December of 2002, the Port of Tacoma Commission approved a sweeping
$341
million Capital Improvement Plan that includes widening of the Blair
Waterway at two key locations and re-developing Pierce County Terminal
into
a major container terminal. "The Evergreen development is the
linchpin of
the Port's entire Blair Waterway development," said Riniker.
Designed for straddle carrier operation in the container and intermodal
yard, the terminal will be developed in two phases. Phase 1 will be a
140-acre terminal plus approximately 31 acres for rail operations (171
acres
total). Phase 2 will add approximately 53 acres of additional
terminal
space and approximately 13 acres of additional rail operations,
bringing
the total terminal size to 237 acres.
With a contract that calls for completion of Phase 1 within 32 months,
Dugan
reports that dredging for the terminal berth extension began in
September
of 2002. The goal is to complete construction within 24 months of
January
9, 2003.
"Thanks to Andrea Riniker and the Port of Tacoma for working with
Evergreen
and for the excellent cooperation in terminal operations, and
environmental
and economic development," concluded Chen. "We at Evergreen are proud
to be
part of the ongoing development of a great Pacific Northwest and the
Port
of Tacoma."